Share this:

Gone are the days we’d party ‘til sunrise just for fun. Let’s admit it: we’re not as resilient as we used to be. We’ll take a Friday night in with our book and our pets over any late-night escapade that ends with getting stuck in traffic. But we get it: tough times call for some serious R&R. The FOMO is still very real. Hmmm…. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

When you feel like you’re on the brink of a meltdown but don’t want to completely disappear to “The Upside Down,” a laidback hangout might just be your thing. At last weekend’s Human and Chill Shopping Party, we were reminded that it doesn’t take much to recharge and prepare ourselves for another crazy week at work. The Human branch in Glorietta 4 was transformed into the backyard party of our Coming-of-Age dreams where old and new friends come to unwind. Here are some adulting life hacks that we learned from that afternoon chill session:

1. Driving is great but not worrying about carmageddon is even better.

Remember that time we were dying to get our driver’s license so we could take secret road trips in the middle of the day? Being able to drive yourself around is great — it makes you feel you’re in control of your life. But when you have to go through the same EDSA traffic and parking dilemma every day, it gets very frustrating. When the opportunity allows it, hitch with a friend or book a carpool instead. Last weekend’s Human x Uber promo got us thinking less about our transpo problems and more about chilling our day away. Note to future self: backseat naps can do wonders in case of adulting emergencies.

2. Late ’90s to early 2000s music is still everyone’s jam.

What better way to relive the old times than listening to the soundtrack of our YA days? DJ Arthur Tan took everyone on a major flashback by playing everything from Tupac to the old Kanye to pre-2007 Britney Spears. If there’s anything these songs remind us, it’s that the good, the bad and the ugly times come and go but we’ll always get through them somehow.

3. You don’t have to be an artist to find comfort in art.

Getting “artsy” is one way to unload your brain. Whoever said stickers are only for kids probably never had a cute set like the ones they handed out at the Human and Chill event. The instax from Fujifilm made for a great flatlay but artist Pau Tiu took it to the next level by turning them into collages. We might not all be as crafty, but seeing live art can be pretty therapeutic, too.

4. Treat yourself every once in a while, but most especially if there’s a sale.

The hard thing about being an adult is finding the balance between saving up and spoiling yourself. Desperate times call for desperate measures and a quick retail therapy can save even the lowest of days. The Human and Chill Shopping Party was the perfect pick-me-upper because the 20-percent discount even took the splurging guilt away.

5. New and familiar faces make for a pretty chill acquaintance party.

Dealing with people shouldn’t always be stressful. In fact, some R&R with the right bunch of friends can make all the difference. At last weekend’s hangout, we met some new and familiar faces that made the event anything but awkward. Pro tip: change up the group you hang out with every once in awhile. Catch up with some old friends and be open to making new ones. Widening your circle will always do you some good.